This invention relates to a harness installation structure of a link-type movable body, in which the movable body such for example as a door of an automobile is supported by a link so as to be opened and closed, and a power supply wire harness is installed along the link, and is arranged to extend vertically upwardly, and these upwardly-extending portions are twisted when the door is opened and closed.
FIG. 6 shows one related harness installation structure of a link-type movable body (see JP-A-10-175483 (FIGS. 5 and 9)).
This link-type movable body is a link-type door 62, and the link-type door 62 is swingably supported on a vehicle body 70 by a single support arm 71 of a generally L-shape. The support arm 71 has a high rigidity so as to support the weight of the door 62.
Besides the support arm 71, a pair of front and rear link arms 66 and 65 are provided in parallel relation to each other, and each of the link arms 65 and 66 is pivotally supported at its proximal end on the vehicle body 70, and also is pivotally supported at its distal end on a slider 64. The slider 64 is slidably engaged in a horizontal guide rail 63 mounted on the door.
There is provided a harness support structure in which a wire harness 68 extending from the vehicle body is installed horizontally along an outer surface of the front link arm 66, an is fixed to the link arm 66 by a holder 72, and one side portion of the wire harness 68, while bent in a generally U-shape or a generally J-shape, extends along a caterpillar-like exterior member 69 provided in continuous relation to the slider 64 within the guide rail on the door, and is introduced into the door, and is connected to auxiliary equipments and electrical equipments within the door. The other side portion 68a of the wire harness 68 is installed to be slightly bent toward the vehicle body 70, and is connected to a power source. In FIG. 6, the right side is the front side of the vehicle.
Examples of the auxiliary equipments include a power window motor, a door lock unit, a speaker and a door opening/closing drive device. In order to continuously supply electric power to these auxiliary equipments, the link arms 65 and 66, the guide rail 63, the slider 64 and the exterior member 69 are used as a mechanism for absorbing an opening/closing stroke of the door 62. The exterior member 69 is received in a receiving case 67 disposed beneath the guide rail 63.
When the door 62 is fully closed, the support arm 71 and the link arms 65 and 66 are extended forward, and the slider 64 moves toward a front end of the guide rail 63, and the one side portion of the wire harness 68 is received in the receiving case 67 through a bending action of the exterior member 69. The wire harness 68 is turned together with the link arm 66.
When fully opening the door 62, the link arms 65 and 66 maintains a door half-opened condition shown in FIG. 6, and the support arm 71 is extended rearward, and the slider 64 moves toward a rear end of the guide rail 63, and the wire harness 68, together with the exterior member 69, is drawn out rearward long.
However, in the above related harness installation structure of the link-type movable body, in addition to the support arm 71, the pair of link arms 65 and 66 are required, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that the structure is complicated and costly. And besides, in order to absorb a surplus length of the wire harness 68, the guide rail 63, the slider 64, the caterpillar-type exterior member 69, etc., need to be provided, and this has invited a problem that the structure is further complicated and costly. Furthermore, when the door 62 is opened and closed, the surplus length portion 68a of the wire harness 68 is loosened to be bent, and is pulled at a proximal end portion 66a (at the vehicle body 70) of the link arm 66, and therefore not only the surplus length must be absorbed at the door side, but also care must be taken so that the wire harness 68 will not be caught by the link arm 66 or others at the vehicle body side (Namely, management points exist both at the door side and the vehicle body side). Therefore, the design, management, etc., for positively effecting the continuous supply of electric power are very difficult, and besides a space for allowing the bending of the surplus length portion 68a of the wire harness 68 is required, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that the degree of freedom of arrangement of the vehicle body-side parts, etc., may be limited.
Even in the case where the above harness installation structure of the link-type movable body is applied to other movable body than the automobile door, there has been a fear that similar problems as described above arise.